Mănăstirea Sf. Ioan Botezătorul (Maldon, Essex)

Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist
Jurisdicţie	Constantinople
Tip	Stavropegic Double Monastery
Întemeiere	1959
Superior	Elder Kyrillos
Marime (aprox.)	~25 monastics
Locaţie	Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, England
Limbă liturgică	English, with French & Greek
Cântarea folosită	Russian Chant
Calendar	Revised Julian
Hramuri	St John the Baptist
Sit web oficial	none advertised

Mănăstirea Stavropighie Patriarhală a Sf. Ioan Botezătorul este o obşte monahală de bărbaţi şi de femei, direct sub omoforul Patriarhiei Ecumenice. Este situată în Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, Anglia.

Obştea a fost întemeiată în 1959 de Stareţul Sofronie (Saharov), sub jurisdicţia Înalt Preasfinţitului Antonie, Mitropolit al Surojului şi episcopul rus întâi-stătător al Angliei, cu şase monahi de naţionalităţi diferite; la scurtă vreme, în 1965, Mănăstirea a trecut sub jurisdicţia directă a Patriarhiei Ecumenice.

Obştea este alcătuită din bărbaţi şi femei ce vieţuiesc, după tradiţia monastică, o viaţă de rugăciune, centrată pe Hristos. Astăzi, marea parte a obştii o constituie maicile (~15-20), numărul călugarilor fiind mai mic.

Viaţa de zi cu zi

Când a întemeiat mănăstirea, Stareţul Sofronie a vrut să se asigure că obştea sa va urma nu doar canoanele exterioare, ci se va concentra pe nevoinţa lăuntrică. Tipicul mănăstirii, constând din repetarea Rugăciunii lui Iisus timp de aproximativ 4 ore pe zi şi din slujirea Dumnezeieştii Liturghii de trei sau patru ori pe săptămână, este inspirat din experienţa Stareţului Sofronie din pustia athonită, găsindu-şi precedent în practica schiturilor athonite, la Sf. Nicodim Aghioritul şi la Sf. Paisie Velicikovski.

O altă latură distinctivă a acestei mănăstiri o constituie obştea dublă, alcătuită atât din monahi cât şi din monahii. Este un lucru rar, însă nu ceva nemaiîntâlnit în monahismul Ortodox.

History

The Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist had its beginnings largely in the person of Elder Sophrony. After his departure from Mt Athos and his subsequent move to Paris, he was to live in a Russian old-age home, assisting the priest. Soon, two men would seek out Elder Sophrony, desiring the monastic life. They were allowed to live at the old-age home, using the repetition of the Jesus Prayer in lieu of liturgic books and eating the food that the old-age inhabitants didn't eat. There were also a few nuns living at the old-age home at this time.

In 1958, Elder Sophrony had six people living around him, seeking the monastic life. Realising that such a situation could not continue, he went to Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, England to inspect a property; in the spring of 1959, the new Community of St John the Baptist was formed at the same property, under Metropolitan Anthony's omophorion. The monastery, from its beginnings, had both monks and nuns, due to Elder Sophrony being unable to oversee two seperate communities.

The Monastery of St John the Baptist moved under the omophorion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1959, becoming Patriarchal; later, the monastery would also be titled 'Stavropegic'.

Repose of Elder Sophrony

The monastery had been informed that the only way that it could bury people on its property was to build an underground crypt, which it proceeded to build, and to which Elder Sophrony said that he would not repose until the crypt was ready. Then, having been told of the expected completion date of 12 July, Elder Sophrony stated that he "would be ready". On the 11th, Elder Sophrony reposed; and on the 14th was his funeral and burial, attended by monastics from around the world. Mother Elizabeth, the eldest nun, reposed soon after on the 24th, according to Elder Sophrony's words that he would repose first, and she would repose soon after.

Cycle of services

Saturday: 7:00am - Hours and Divine Liturgy

5:00-9:00pm - Vigil

Sunday: 10:15am - Hours and Divine Liturgy

3:00pm - Vespers and and Paraklesis, followed by talks in Greek, English

Daily: 6.00-8:30am and 5:30-8:00pm - Repetition of the Jesus Prayer

Tuesday: 7:00am - Hours and Divine Liturgy

Feastdays: Vigil on the preceding evening; Hours and Divine Liturgy in the morning.

Publishing

One of the motivating factors behind Elder Sophrony's move to France was the publishing of St Silouan's books; when Elder Sophrony moved to England, the monastery became the publisher of these works. In 1973, a more complete translation of the life of St Silouan, titled Monk of Mt Athos, was published; followed in 1975 by Wisdom of Mt Athos, a collation of the writings of St Silouan. After this, Elder Sophrony began to publish books of his own, beginning with His Life is Mine in 1977 and then We Shall See Him As He Is in 1985. In 1987, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate glorified St Silouan the Athonite.

Books published by the Monastery

• Monk of Mt Athos, by Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), 1973.
• Wisdom of Mt Athos, by Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), 1975.
• His Life is Mine, by Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), 1977.
• We Shall See Him As He Is, by Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), 1985.
• Service of Our Father among the Saints Nectarius: Bishop of Pentapolis, by Gerasimos Mikragiannaniteis
• Conversations with Children: Communicating our Faith, by Sister Magdalen, 2001.

Famous inhabitants

• Elder Sophrony, the first Abbot, 1959-1993.
• Archimandrite Kyrillos, second abbot, 1993-present.
• Archimandrite Zacharias, disciple of Elder Sophrony for 27 years at St. Panteleimon's Monastery, Mt. Athos. [1]
• Archimandrite Nicholas V Sakharov, nephew of Elder Sophrony, author of I Love Therefore I Am.
• Sister Magdalen, noted speaker, author of Children in the Church Today & Conversations with Children: Communicating our Faith. [2], [3]
• Sister Maria, mosaic iconographer. [4]

Sources

• I Love Therefore I Am, by Hmk Nicholas V Sakharov.

External links

• Lee Carson and Scott McDermott's Trip to England, November 16, St. John the Baptist Monastery, Tolleshunt Knights, Essex.
• A Taste of Monastic Life, report by Dwynwen East on a pilgrimage done on 17-20 September 2003.
• CD recording of the Service of St Silouan the Athonite, chanted in Greek by Simonopetra Monastery, Mt Athos; copyrighted by St John the Baptist Monastery, Essex.